Spanish Subject Pronouns: Guide, Chart, Examples & Exercise

Subject pronouns (pronombres sujetos) are words that specifically indicate the subject of the sentence, who or what is performing the action or experiencing the state. Essentially, like any pronoun, they prevents repetition, making communication more fluid. In English, these are familiar words, like I, you, he, she, we, and they.

For instance, instead of saying “Maria is smart,” we naturally use “She is smart.” In Spanish, this concept applies similarly:

Maria es inteligente.
Ella es inteligente. (She is smart.)

A key difference from English, however, is that Spanish often allows you to omit the subject pronoun. This is because the verb’s ending already makes the subject perfectly clear, a feature we’ll explore further.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation
Yo	I	yoh
Tú/Usted	You	too/oo-sted
Él/Ella	He/She	ail/ay-yah
Nosotros(m)/Nosotras(f)	We	noh-soh-trohs/noh-soh-trahs
Ustedes/Vosotros/Vosotras	You	oo-sted-ays/ boh-soh-trohs /boh-soh-trahs
Ellos(m)/Ellas(f)	They	ay-yohs/ ay-yahs
Ello (It doesn't have literal translation into Spanish)	It

Examples of Spanish Subject Pronouns in Action

Seeing pronouns in complete sentences helps solidify their use. Notice how the pronoun aligns with the verb’s ending:

Yo quiero aprender español. – I want to learn Spanish.
Tú eres muy alto. – You (informal) are very tall.

Él es un buen vecino. – He is a good neighbor.
Ella toma café. – She drinks coffee.
Nosotros amamos la comida mexicana. – We love Mexican food.

Ustedes son locos. – You all are crazy.
Ellos están enamorados. – They (masculine/mixed) are in love.
Es un árbol. – It is a tree. (Note: In Spanish, “it” for objects is often implied by the verb, or the pronoun ello can be used, though less commonly for subjects.)

How and When to Use Subject Pronouns in Spanish

Subject pronouns are commonly used at the beginning of a Spanish sentence to refer to the subject. Sometimes, you can omit them if the subject is clear from the context. You should use them in the following cases:

After Some Prepositions to Emphasize the Subject:
- ¿Y qué van a hacer ustedes? – What will you do?
- Ella sí que es talentosa. – She really is talented.

After the Verb “Ser” (To Be):
- Soy yo. – It’s me.

To Point Out Someone:
- ¿Quién quiere comer? Él. – Who wants to eat? Him.

For More Clarity or Contrast:
- Ellas estudiaron, pero ustedes no. – They studied, but you all didn’t.

To Compare:
- Él hace más ejercicio que tú. – He works out more than you do.

After Certain Prepositions:
- Según tú. – According to

Omission of the Subject

Spanish frequently omits subject pronouns, unlike English where they are nearly always required. This occurs because verb conjugations clearly indicate the subject, rendering the pronoun redundant when context provides clarity.

For instance, while “Ella come ensalada” means “She eats salad,” one can simply say “Come ensalada.” The verb form “come” inherently signifies a third-person singular subject (él, ella, or usted), making the explicit pronoun optional.

Ella come ensalada. – She eats salad.
Come ensalada. – (she) eats salad

Singular, Plural, and Gender: How Pronouns Change

Spanish pronouns act a bit differently depending on if you’re talking about one person (singular) or many (plural). And sometimes, they even change based on gender.

Singular Pronouns (No Gender Change): These stay the same regardless of who you’re talking about:
- Yo juego videojuegos. – I play video games.
- Tú eres hermosa. – You are beautiful.
- Él es buen cocinero. – He is a good cook.
- Ella es maestra. – She is a teacher.
Plural Pronouns (Gender Matters!): When talking about “we” or “they,” the pronoun changes if the group is all female. If there’s any male in the group (or it’s all males), you use the “masculine” form.
- Nosotros / Nosotras (We)
  - Use Nosotros for groups of males, or mixed male and female groups.
    - Nosotros somos amigos. (We are friends – male or mixed).
  - Use Nosotras only for groups of all females.
    - Nosotras somos amigas. (We are friends – female).
- Ellos / Ellas (They)
  - Use Ellos for groups of males, or mixed male and female groups.
    - Ellos estaban aquí. (They were here – male or mixed).
  - Use Ellas only for groups of all females.
    - Ellas estaban aquí. (They were here – female).

Understanding “You All”: Regional Variations

When talking to more than one person, ustedes is used in Latin America for both males and females. In Spain, vosotros is used when addressing males or both males and females, while vosotras is used only for females.

Ustedes (Latin America): Used for several people, regardless of gender.
Vosotros, Vosotras (Spain):
- Vosotros: Used for males only, or mixed groups of males and females.
- Vosotras: Used for females only.

Examples:

Vosotros estabais en Madrid. (males or mixed m/f) – You all were in Madrid.
Vosotras estabais en Madrid. (females) – You all were in Madrid.

Tú and Usted: Choosing Your “You”

In Spanish, there are different ways to say “you” in the singular: tú (informal), usted (formal), and vos (in some countries). The choice depends on your relationship with the person, age differences, and regional variations in Latin American Spanish or Spanish from Spain.

Tú: Use for casual interactions or relationships, such as with friends, relatives, or young people.
Usted: This is more formal. Use it for relationships with a boss, someone you don’t know, or someone much older.
Vos: This pronoun is used in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and a few regions of Colombia and Venezuela.

Learn more: Tú vs Usted